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In an announcement by the Chinese customs department on Thursday May 30, 10 months after both countries signed a memorandum on the matter, stated that Malaysia will now be able to export frozen whole durians to China. This supersedes a previous agreement where only frozen durian pulp can be exported.

Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Sim Tze Tzin said the export of whole frozen durians would widen the market for Malaysian durian growers, adding that he expects prices to be stable even with the increase in demand.

He noted that Malaysia’s current total durian export only accounted for 5.8% of the durian production in the country. At present, Malaysia exports 17,000 tonnes of durians to Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, United States and China, he added. “Every year, China imports 300,000 tonnes of durian, most of which originate from Thailand. The export of whole frozen durians will expand the market for durian growers and increase their income.”

At the same time, many growers have started to plant durian commercially and therefore the increase in supply will help to keep prices stable, the minister also said. Malaysia began exporting frozen durian pulp – in vacuum pack, with husk removed – to China in May 2011.